Consider the following pairs: Intangible Heritage State 1. Sankirtana ritual singing Manipur 2. Kalbelia folk songs and dances Assam 3. Mudiyettu, ritual theatre Tamil Nadu 4. Kutiyattam, Sanskrit theatre Kerala Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

The correct answer is 1 and 4 only. Key Points Sankirtana, ritual singing, drumming, and dancing of Manipur : It is a ritual singing, drumming and dancing art form of Manipur. Hence, pair 1 is correctly matched. This art form is performed to mark religious occasions and various stages in the life of Manipuri Vaishnavites. Practised at temples, the performers here narrate the life and deeds of Lord Krishna through songs and dances. Kalbelia folk songs and dances of Rajasthan : Songs and dances are an expression of the Kalbelia community’s traditional way of life. Hence, pair 2 is not correctly matched. Once professional snake handlers, Kalbelia today evoke their former occupation in music and dance that is evolving in new and creative ways. The dancers wear traditional tattoo designs, jewelry and garments richly embroidered with small mirrors and silver thread. Kalbelia songs disseminate mythological knowledge through stories, while special traditional dances are performed during Holi, the festival of colors. Mudiyettu, ritual theatre and dance drama of Kerala : Mudiyettu is a ritual dance drama from Kerala based on the mythological tale of a battle between the goddess Kali and the demon Darika . Hence, pair 3 is not correctly matched. It is a community ritual in which the entire village participates. After the summer crops have been harvested, the villagers reach the temple in the early morning on an appointed day. Mudiyettu performers purify themselves through fasting and prayer, then draw a huge image of goddess Kali, called ''kalam'' , on the temple floor with colored powders, wherein the spirit of the goddess is invoked. Mudiyettu serves as an important cultural site for the transmission of traditional values, ethics, moral codes, and aesthetic norms of the community to the next generation, thereby ensuring its continuity and relevance in present times. Kutiyattam, Sanskrit theatre : Kutiyattam, Sanskrit theatre, which is practiced in the province of Kerala , is one of India’s oldest living theatrical traditions. Hence, pair 4 is correctly matched. Originating more than 2,000 years ago, Kutiyattam represents a synthesis of Sanskrit classicism and reflects the local traditions of Kerala. In its stylized and codified theatrical language, neta abhinaya (eye expression) and hasta abhinaya (the language of gestures) are prominent. They focus on the thoughts and feelings of the main character. Actors undergo ten to fifteen years of rigorous training to become fully-fledged performers with sophisticated breathing control and subtle muscle shifts of the face and body. The actor’s art lies in elaborating a situation or episode in all its detail. Therefore, a single act may take days to perform and a complete performance may last up to 40 days.